Designing for Disassembly (DfD)

The redundancy of existing buildings that leads to demolition and the unnecessary disposal of structures and their parts is one of the most challenging aspects of the current construction industry. This large-scale problem of obsolescence leads to the squandering of existing materials and resources on a massive scale. Here Elma Durmisevic and Ken Yeang advocate a means by which disassembly can be designed into buildings from the outset. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Solid Waste Problems and their Handling in the Netherlands

The Netherlands, in common with most other countries, has a problem in disposing of solid wastes in an environmentally acceptable way. The paper reviews the historical situation, looks at the present-day position, and explains the proposals for waste disposal in the Netherlands up to the year 2000 and beyond.     

Moving Up or Moving Down? Housing Careers of Turks and Moroccans in Utrecht,the Netherlands

In the Netherlands, the housing conditions of most ethnic minorities are still inferior to those of the native Dutch. The focus of the paper is the housing careers of Turks and Moroccans in the city of Utrecht. Despite some improvements and certain exceptions, they still find themselves in housing conditions inferior to those of the native Dutch. A career approach is necessary to explain these less favourable housing conditions because the present situation cannot be seen separately from decisions taken earlier. Some of these decisions are taken in the field of housing, but it is argued here that decisions taken on the labour market and with respect to the household itself are of major importance. It is also argued that the ethnic cultural approach, which stresses the housing preferences of minority ethnic groups, does not adequately explain the housing conditions and housing careers of the Turks and Moroccans in the Netherlands.     

Toward integrated energy and materials policies? A case study on CO2 reduction in the Netherlands

Energy and material flows are closely related. The materials system is of major significance from a national energy and CO₂ point of view. Integrated energy and materials studies can show significant new policy options for energy savings and CO₂ emission reduction through materials system improvements, shown in a case study on long-term CO₂ emission reduction in the Netherlands. An integrated energy and materials system MARKAL model is used for this analysis. The results show that, on one hand, CO₂ emission reduction costs are significantly reduced in the integrated approach and, on the other hand, the materials system is significantly influenced by CO₂ emission reduction. Consideration of dynamic interactions results in better understanding of future developments in both energy and materials systems.     

Barriers to energy conservation — the case of the Netherlands social housing sector

Energy conservation policy, more than energy supply policy, poses severe problems to both policy instruments and administrative organization. Barriers to effective policy derive from inadequate control structures and rationality types, as well as from social psychological factors. This case study on the Dutch housing sector considers policy organization, regulation and finance. Main barriers to effective conservation policy were found in three areas: the centralization and prevailing decomposition of control tasks, acting as a source of ineffectivity; the predominantly substantial rationality underlying regulation; and finally, the way people involved in the building industry make their interpretations of regulations and regulatory organizations.     

Communications on energy Industrial coal use in the Netherlands

The results of a study to analyse the potential penetration of coal in the Dutch industrial sector are presented. It is concluded that coal will play a modest role both as a fuel and as a chemical feedstock. Coal input could be substantially higher if the coal is gasified first, after which the gas can be used as fuel and gas and synthesis gas. The environmental impacts of the use of coal and the proposed emission standards are described.